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Updated: May 13, 2026
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Generating Strictly Controlled Stimuli for Figure Recognition Experiments
Published on: March 18, 2019
Dissecting perceptual processes with a new tri-stable reversible figure.
Gerald M Long1, Jared M Batterman
1Department of Psychology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA. gerald.long@villanova.edu
Perception
|March 9, 2013
Summary
This study introduces a new tri-stable reversible figure, revealing how fixation location and component exposure influence perception. Observers can maintain specific percepts, highlighting top-down and bottom-up influences on visual processing.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Visual Perception
- Psychophysics
Background:
- Reversible figures are crucial for understanding visual perception and bistable/multistable perception.
- Previous research has explored factors influencing perceptual switches, but new stimuli are needed to probe complex interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate a novel tri-stable reversible figure.
- To investigate the influence of initial percept, fixation location, priming, and adaptation on perceptual reversals.
- To examine the interplay of bottom-up and top-down processes in maintaining perceptual stability.
Main Methods:
- Five experiments were conducted using a new tri-stable reversible figure.
- Measures included initial percept upon presentation and total reported reversals.
- Manipulations involved fixation location, brief component priming, and prolonged component adaptation.
Main Results:
- The tri-stable figure demonstrated equiprobability of its three alternatives.
- Fixation location, priming, and adaptation significantly affected reported organization and reversals.
- Observers could maintain specific percepts irrespective of fixation, indicating robust perceptual control.
Conclusions:
- The novel tri-stable figure is highly sensitive to perceptual manipulations.
- Both bottom-up (stimulus-driven) and top-down (cognitively-driven) processes are critical for figural reversal.
- Findings contribute to understanding the dynamic nature of visual perception and perceptual stability.
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